State Farm Stadium | Official Website
State Farm Stadium | Official Website
Since their Week 11 bye, the Arizona Cardinals have faced a series of losses, with the most recent being a 30-18 defeat to the Seattle Seahawks. Despite these setbacks, defensive lineman Roy Lopez highlighted a positive aspect of the situation: "The best part about it, I guess to say if there is, is that we're going through this together," he said. "We continue to lean on one another and it's full throttle ahead."
The Cardinals' chances of extending their season into the playoffs have become more challenging. They are currently below .500 and sit in third place in the NFC West. Due to losing both games against Seattle, they effectively trail three games behind the division leaders with only four games remaining.
Nevertheless, Lopez remains optimistic about what lies ahead: "When you get into this level of football, respect is a lot. Respect is earned," he noted. "You get your reputation through your reps, and you are what you put on tape."
Head coach Jonathan Gannon took responsibility for the loss against Seattle, acknowledging that "we did not play our brand of ball there, so it starts with me." He pointed out self-inflicted issues such as quarterback Kyler Murray's turnovers and penalties as areas needing improvement. Gannon emphasized that correcting these mistakes quickly is crucial: "It's really technique-driven... we've got to do a better job there."
Looking forward, the Cardinals will face the New England Patriots next. The Patriots arrive after their bye week with rookie quarterback Drake Maye leading them under first-year head coach Jerod Mayo. New England has struggled this season with a 3-10 record.
Lopez expressed hope for upcoming opportunities: "The thing that I said throughout the season is the beauty of this, in six days, you get another opportunity," he stated.